Enjoy Holidays Without Weight Gain

Most of us especially women are battling with holiday weight gain. Every year we tell ourselves that we will watch what we eat. We will exercise throughout the holidays, but……..life happens and if you are anything like me you might wake up January 2nd with few little extra pounds.

So this year to help myself and others like me I decided I need a Game Plan to keep my weight in check this holiday season.

There are few tips and tricks that might help with that.

#1 Eat Before You Eat

There is lots of dinners, lunches, office parties, family gatherings before us this holiday season. So before you attend any of these make sure you are not hungry. I don’t mean to have a meal before the meal, but it is a good idea to have a healthy high fiber snack like fresh vegetables, handful of nuts, cheese and crackers.
That way when you get there you won’t be starving and you can take your time to chose your meal wisely.

#2 Wear The Right Outfit

Yes, it is important to wear the right outfit for such occasions. I am not talking about looking good which is as important, but make sure your outfit it not too comfortable so you don’t have the tendency to overeat or drink more then you should.

#3 When Attending Potluck Holiday Gathering

Why don’t you bring one or two calorie smart dishes that taste great. That way if everything else is too rich and loaded with fat and calories you can combine it with your dishes and enjoy the potluck guilt free.

#4 When Eating In a Restaurant

Discuss it with your group and chose a restaurant with some healthy meals on the menu. After you arrive make sure you have a big glass of water. It is the holidays so order an appetizer and/or dessert, but split it with your hubby or friends. That way you can still enjoy it and your hips will thank you.

#5 When Attending Holiday Open House or Party

Before you dive into the buffet spread on the kitchen counter take your time and check out the selection. Figure out your game plan. Load up your plate with low calorie items like seafood, chicken (not fried or wings), veggies, fruit. Whatever you do don’t stand around the food. You don’t want to be tempted all night long. After you finished what’s on your plate it is a good idea to hang on to it as a reminder that you’ve already eaten.

#6 Eat The Right Breakfast

This is not the time to be skipping your breakfast and it is also important to chose the right breakfast. The best breakfast to keep you from overeating are eggs. The high protein and fat content of eggs makes you feel 50% fuller then any other breakfast dish.

#7 Keep Drinking Water

Chugging water all day long not only keeps you from feeling hungry, it also gives you energy most of us are lacking around the holidays. Wine and cocktails cause dehydration which slows the metabolism so for every drink you have you should drink 1-2 glasses of water.

#8 Keep A Bowl Of Fruit Handy

This is a great idea especially if you are doing lots of baking or if you are the one doing all the holiday cooking.This not only keeps you from sampling your goodies, but you family as well. I started setting out a bowl of apples and oranges the day I started my holiday baking and I have to keep refilling it almost every day.The best part is I am eating more fiber and my kids are walking around with apple in their hand instead of cookies.

#9 Get Lots Of Sleep

Sleep is very import in weight gain. I recently attended a lecture on importance of sleep and how hard it is on your body if you are getting less then 7 hours of sleep a night. Did you know that sleeping less then 5-6 hours a night for a week can bring a healthy adult to a pre-diabetic state? I didn’t.

#10 Indulge Wisely

Let’s be realistic here. We are going to slip and we are going to indulge once or twice during holidays. Don’t be hard on yourself, but be smart. If you are going to do it make sure you indulge on foods and dishes that are not around all year long. Don’t waste your calories on foods that you can get any day of the year.

If we make these little tips part of our game plan I know we can be victorious. This will be the year that we will wake up January 2nd and we won’t be afraid to stand on that scale.

Looking for ways to burn those extra calories while having fun?

• Sledding with your kids will burn 400-450 calories per hour
• Building a Snowman will burn 235-285 calories per hour
• Cross-country skiing will burn 475-550 calories per hour
• Ice skating will burn 400-500 calories per hour
• Christmas Shopping (not online) will burn 250-300 calories per hour

About The Author
Bibiana Bailey was born and raised in Slovakia. She received her culinary training and degree in Hospitality, Travel and Tourism from Hotel Academy in Piestany, Slovakia. She lives in British Columbia with her husband and two sons one of which is type 1 diabetic. She is the founder and publisher of Free Guide For Busy Moms – an online site that offers tips, ideas, budget friendly recipes and more to other moms or others in general.
For more of her articles visit her at Free Guide For Busy Moms or Gourmet Meals For Less